1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a very effective enzymatic composition capable of killing or inhibiting microbial cells or microorganisms, more specifically microbial cells or microorganisms present in laundry, on hard surfaces, in water systems, on skin, teeth or mucous membranes; and for preserving food products, cosmetics, paints, coatings, etc.
2. Description of Related Art
Various enzymatic antimicrobial compositions are known in the art. For instance, WO 94/04127 discloses stabilized dentifrice compositions which are capable of producing antimicrobially effective concentrations of hypothiocyanite ions. The compositions contain an oxidoreductase capable of producing hydrogen peroxide and a peroxidase enzyme capable of oxidizing thiocyanate ions, which are normally present in saliva, to antimicrobial hypothiocyanite ions. Suitable peroxidases include lactoperoxidase, myeloperoxidase, salivary peroxidase and chloroperoxidase.
In EP-A-0 500 387 enzymatic antimicrobial compositions are disclosed comprising a haloperoxidase, e.g., myelo-peroxidase, eosinophil oxidase, lactoperoxidase and chloroperoxidase, which selectively binds to and inhibits the growth of target microorganisms in the presence of peroxide and halide.
WO 95/27046 discloses an antimicrobial composition comprising a Vanadium chloroperoxidase, halide ions, and hydrogen peroxide or a hydrogen peroxide-generating agent.
WO 96/38548 discloses an antimicrobial composition comprising a haloperoxidase, a halide ion, a peroxide generating agent and an amino acid type.
The object of the present invention is to provide a composition for killing or inhibiting microbial cells, i.e., for disinfection or preservation, which is easy to use and an effective alternative to the known disinfecting and preserving compositions and methods.
Surprisingly, it has been found that the combined action of a haloperoxidase, a hydrogen peroxide source, a halide source and an ammonium source results in a hitherto unknown synergistic antimicrobial effect.
Thus, based on these findings, the present invention provides, in a first aspect, an enzymatic antimicrobial composition comprising a haloperoxidase, a hydrogen peroxide source, a halide source and an ammonium source wherein said composition results in a hitherto unknown synergistic antimicrobial effect.
The composition of the invention is useful as antimicrobial ingredient wherever such an ingredient is needed, for example, for the preservation of food, beverages, cosmetics, deodorants, contact lens products, food ingredients or enzyme compositions; as a disinfectant for use, e.g., on human or animal skin, hair, oral cavity, mucous membranes, wounds, bruises or in the eye; for killing microbial cells in laundry; and for incorporation in cleaning compositions or disinfectants for hard surface cleaning, for water treatment, or for disinfection.
Accordingly, in further aspects, the present invention provides a method of inhibiting microorganisms present in laundry, wherein the laundry is treated with a soaking, washing or rinsing liquor comprising this composition; a method of inhibiting microbial growth on a hard surface, wherein the surface is contacted with this composition; a method of inhibiting microbial cells present in industrial water lines; and a method of killing microbial cells present on human or animal skin, mucous membranes, teeth, wounds, bruises or in the eye or inhibiting the growth thereof, wherein the cells to be killed or inhibited on the skin, mucous membrane, teeth, wound or bruise are/is contacted with this composition.